Asarina plant named ‘Sunasahowa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Asarina  plant named ‘Sunasahowa’, characterized by its trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Asarina hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNASAHOWA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Asarinaplant, botanically known as Asarina hybrid and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Sunasahowa’.

The new Asarina plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new trailing and freely branchingAsarina plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Asarina plant originated from a self-pollination in April, 2007in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Asarina hybrididentified as code number AS6, not patented. The new Asarina plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in December, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Asarina plant by vegetative cuttings ina controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since January, 2009has shown that the unique features of this new Asarina plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Asarina have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunasahowa’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunasahowa’ as a new and distinct Asarinaplant:

-   -   1. Trailing plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Large white-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Asarina can be compared to plants of the parentselection. Plants of the new Asarina differ primarily from plants of theparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Asarina have larger flowers than plants of        the parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Asarina and the parent selection differ in        flower color as plants of the parent selection have pink-colored        flowers.

Plants of the new Asarina can also be compared to plants of Asarinahybrid ‘Sunasashiro’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,635. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Asarina and ‘Sunasashiro’ differed primarily in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Asarina were larger than plants of        ‘Sunasashiro’.    -   2. Plants of the new Asarina had larger leaves than plants of        ‘Sunasashiro’.    -   3. Plants of the new Asarina had larger flowers than plants of        ‘Sunasashiro’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Asarina plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Asarina plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunasahowa’ grown in a hanging basketcontainer.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunasahowa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 18-cm containersin an outdoor nursery Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under commercialpractices. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were fourmonths old when the description was taken and five months old when thephotographs were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Asarina hybrid ‘Sunasahowa’.-   Parentage: Self-pollination of a proprietary selection of Asarina    hybrid identified as code number AS6, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at            temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Trailing plant habit; freely            branching with lateral branches potentially developing at            every node; vigorous growth habit.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 136 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.2 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.7 cm.        -   Aspect.—Trailing.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 143C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 7.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 6.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Roughly ovate.        -   Apex.—Mucronate.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 145B. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,            close to 145C.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 145A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single bilabiate            flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            numerous flowers developing per plant; flowers face mostly            outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Asarina initiate and develop flowers about three to            four weeks after planting; long flowering period, flowering            commences naturally during the summer and plants flower            continuously until late autumn in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm.            Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.6 cm by 4.8 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 7.3 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 6 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 5.9 cm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Bilabiate with a two-lobed upper lip            and three-lobed lower lip. Length, upper lip: About 1.8 cm.            Length, lower lip: About 1.4 cm to 1.6 cm. Width, upper lip:            About 2.1 cm. Width, lower lip: About 1.7 cm to 1.9 cm.            Shape, upper lip: Two-lobed; apex, rounded. Shape, lower            lip: Three-lobed; apex, rounded. Margin, upper and lower            lips: Entire, undulate. Texture, upper and lower lips:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower lips: When opening            and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 157D. When opening            and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155B. Color,            throat: Close to N155A. Color, tube: Close to 155B.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Cup-shaped calyx with five sepals. Sepal            length: About 2.1 cm. Sepal width: About 1.4 cm. Sepal            shape: Ovate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal base: Obtuse. Sepal            margin: Entire. Color, upper surface: Close to 143C. Color,            lower surface: Close to 145A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four per flower.            Stamen length: About 5 cm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther            size: About 3.5 mm by 2.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155A.            Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            5.2 cm. Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma shape: Elliptic.            Stigma color: Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 145D.            Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development has not been            observed on plants of the new Asarina.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Asarina have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Asarina have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Asarina    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Asarina plant named ‘Sunasahowa’ asillustrated and described.